Respite Foster Care

What is respite fostering?

Respite foster care provides an essential break to other foster parents or birth families on a short-term basis. As a respite foster carer, you allow a family to benefit from a well-earned rest by caring for their foster children for a short period, usually lasting between a couple of days up to a week – often at weekends or during school holidays.

On occasion, a plan may be in place for regular ongoing respite, where you care for the same child every few weeks.

Respite fostering is always planned with the foster child’s best interests, and we will work with you and the local authority to make the most appropriate arrangements for everyone.

Benefits of respite fostering

As well as the knowledge that you are helping a foster parent or birth family, there are many other benefits that respite foster care can offer including;

• Providing support for foster families who are experiencing high levels of stress and therefore who need a short break.
• Every foster parent is different and has different skill sets and qualities. By introducing respite foster parents into a child or young person’s life it gives the chance for new experiences on a short-term basis.
• Enabling foster parents the opportunity to recharge.

Gain insight into the world of fostering and discover whether fostering is a potential career for you.